5 Fuel Efficient Luxury Cars You’ll Want To Drive In 2015

When gas drops from $3.50 a gallon to less than $2 a gallon (at least in some places), concerns about fuel efficiency drop right along with it. However, there are still plenty of good reasons to car about fuel mileage.

First, gas prices might not stay this low forever. While there are some who project prices will remain at this level for years to come, the conventional wisdom is that gas isn’t going to be cheap forever. Second, fuel consumption leads to greenhouse gas emissions, and many people have a conscientious problem with that (I’m not one of these people, but I respect this point of view). Finally, fuel efficiency isn’t a bad thing. In the case of many of the vehicles listed, fuel efficient powertrains are torquey and powerful.

Here are five luxurious – yet fuel efficient – cars you should take a look at in 2015:

2015 Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTEC

MPG: Up to 28 city/48 highway

What’s so cool about it?

An E-Class Mercedes has to be on the list, it just wouldn’t be a luxury car discussion without one! While the E250 BlueTEC isn’t exactly inexpensive with a starting price of $51,800, it’s the least expensive E-Class one can buy. From the driver’s seat, owners appreciate strong low-end torque, a whisper-quite ride, ultra plush upholstery, 14-way power seating, dual climate zones, premium audio — you get the picture. The fact that the 2.1L diesel sips fuel? That’s a happy coincidence.

Also, let’s not forget that diesel engines run twice as long as gas engines. There’s been a strong demand for old diesel Mercedes-Benz vehicles over the last few years for this very reason.

2015 Lexus NX300h

MPG: Up to 35 city/31 highway

What’s so cool about it?

You might think this SUV doesn’t belong on the list because the highway fuel economy isn’t great. However, the city fuel economy is what most people are going to feel the most impacted by — so it made the cut. Some pretty luxurious standard features and increased seating and cargo capacity make this a pretty sweet ride to soccer practice.

Of course, some will find the styling not to their taste, but that’s sort of what Lexus is going for here. You’re not going to miss this vehicle going down the road.

2015 BMW 328d

MPG: Up to 32 city/45 highway

What’s so cool about it?

It’s a diesel powered luxury car in a market that doesn’t have many diesel engine offerings. However, this is a hot car in Europe and if the novelty (or stigma) of diesel cars ever wears off, American drivers will probably love the 328d too. Not to mention, it has a 0-60 mph time of 7.2 seconds, is packed with cool features, and starts off with an affordable base price of $39,000.

Lincoln MKZ Hybrid

MPG: Up to 38 city/37 highway

What’s so cool about it?

This is a uniquely styled ride excellent attention to detail. It’s also equipped with a massive sliding panoramic roof, push button automatic transmission, and optional inflatable rear seat belts. The 2015 model is also lighter and more powerful than before — the lithium-ion battery weighs much less and gas engine produces 188 horsepower.

Pro Tip: Watch your Ford or Lincoln dealership for Certified Pre-Owned late-model Lincoln MKZ’s in the used car lot. Ford and Lincoln dealers often buy used Lincolns from rental car fleets for a song, then sell them at half the price of a new Lincoln. It’s a great way to get a luxury car for the price of a new Corolla, often with just 20k miles on the odometer.

2015 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring

MPG: Up to 50 city/45 highway

What’s so cool about it?

A Honda on a list about luxury cars? Am I crazy, you ask? A little, but the Touring trim level gives the Accord Hybrid all of the features of a luxury car at a price tag of $35,055. This package comes with LED running lamps, dual-zone climate control, Honda LaneWatch, Bluetooth, leather interior, navigation, moonroof, smart entry, and a seven speaker audio system.

Toss in the fact that the Accord is a top-rated car by Edmunds.com, Consumer Reports, and that the Honda brand is a perennial quality winner in JD Power rankings, and you’ve got a car worth checking out.

Honorable mention: While it’s not a 2015 model, and nothing is set in stone, it’s hard to talk about fuel efficient luxury cars without mentioning this one: the rumored hybrid version of the Audi A4. A 2016 hopeful, many are speculating that Audi will offer a hybrid version of this car on the cusp of the luxury class.